Last Updated on March 31, 2025 by Matt Musico
The New York Yankees tied an MLB record this past weekend by hitting 15 home runs in their first three games of the regular season. They also set a franchise record on Saturday with nine homers in a 20-9 victory. Their usage of torpedo bats has sparked quite a debate. However, nobody has asked a more important question than former starting pitcher Bartolo Colon.
While all the attention is on the Yankees’ usage of these innovative bats during their three-game sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers, several players on other teams are either currently using them or have tried them recently. Of course, New York’s success with these pieces of lumber will lead to many other hitters at least considering the idea of trying them out.
Colon is just sad torpedo bats weren’t a thing during his big-league career. Here’s what he said in a post on X (formerly Twitter):
I wonder how many home runs I would’ve hit with a torpedo bat 🤔
— Bartolo Colon (@BColon40) March 31, 2025
But many years from now, many people may not remember Colon’s accomplishments as a pitcher. Instead, what he’ll likely be best known for is the home run he hit off James Shields at Petco Park on May 7, 2016, against the San Diego Padres—mostly because his numbers as a hitter were atrocious.
Colon stepped up to the plate 326 times as a big-league hitter and produced a .084/.092/.107 slash line. Of the 25 hits he collected, five went for extra bases. That total included four doubles and this homer:
At 42 years and 349 days old, he set a new MLB record as the oldest player ever to hit his first big-league homer. The previous record was held by Hall of Fame hurler Randy Johnson.
The Universal Designated Hitter rule makes this all a moot point since Colon wouldn’t be able to hit for himself today anyway, but I’d love to see him take some batting practice with the torpedo bat to see what he thinks.
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